Richie Tozier gay

You were walking through the school halls, too focused on trying to remember if you had done your homework yesterday, since you had fallen asleep. As you walked by, you ran into Richie, your best friend, staring at his own locker, which left you confused. Of course, you walked over quickly and put an arm around your best friend's shoulder, confused.
"Hey Richie, what's up?"
You asked, your voice sounding calm.

Richie didn't respond, instead he frowned without taking his eyes off his locker.
When you noticed that, you looked in the same direction. That's when you noticed the problem.
"Wait... Again?"
You asked, frowning in the same way as Richie.
For a few days now, a rumor that Richie was gay had been spreading too quickly. The boy was bothered by it. Not by the rumor, but by the mockery it caused. It bothered you too, just like it bothered your friend. Before, it was just little notes with taunts, secretive comments whenever I walked by. "Soft" stuff. But now.. well, he literally had the F word ALL over his locker.

He sighed, opening his locker and putting his things in, trying to ignore that written word.